Hepatitis C treatment
The Liver department at The London Clinic treats many patients each year with the Hepatitis C viral infection. Treatment can be challenging, with success depending on which genotype (strain) of hepatitis C you have. New drug treatments are now available to boost success rates significantly.
Treatment of chronic hepatitis C is important as clearing the virus from the body can prevent long-term liver damage, such as cirrhosis (irreversible scarring of the liver), liver failure and liver cancer.
Quick facts
Fast referral
Get seen and treated within 14 days
What is it for?
To help treat the hepatitis C virus
Treatment overview
The standard therapy that we offer is:
- Pegylated interferon (an injection of a protein to stimulate the immune system to attack virus cells. This involves you making a small injection yourself once a week. You can be shown how to do this by a Specialist Hepatitis C Nurse.
- Ribavirin: antiviral tablets that are active against the spread of hepatitis C in the body.
This treatment can clear the hepatitis C virus from the body in 80-90 % of cases if treatment is started soon after exposure, and if the infection is caused by genotypes 2 or 3 of the hepatitis C virus. Find out more about the genotypes of hepatitis C.
If the infection is due to any of the other 4 genotypes, or if treatment is started once the infection has become chronic, clearance of the virus is greatly reduced. New hope for hepatitis C patients
In 2011, 2 new drugs were approved to treat people with hepatitis C. This is a significant advance, as these are the first new treatments to be approved in the USA or Europe for 20 years.
- Victrelis (Boceprevir®) available in the UK since July 2011when it was passed for approval by the European Medicines Agency (EMA).
- Telaprevir (Incivek®) was also approved by the EMA in the late summer of 2011 and can now be added to the standard therapy for patients with hepatitis C in our outpatient clinic.
Both these drugs have been shown to significantly increase the chances of clearing the virus in some cases of Hepatitis C infection. Side effects of hepatitis C treatment
Hepatitis C infection can cause no symptoms but treatment with interferon can produce several side effects:
- Tiredness and irritability
- Mood swings
- Concentration difficulties
- An itchy rash
- Mild anaemia
- Lack of interest in food
- Poor sleep.
Why choose The London Clinic
Excellence in one place
The London Clinic, in collaboration with Northwestern Medicine, operate as teams of experts with world-class resources, dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of care. Surrounded by the latest treatments and advice, you’ll have everything you need to get back to your best health. Our patient rooms are designed for your comfort, while our catering team, in collaboration with expert dietitians, provide healthy, delicious meals to support your recovery.
Personal care, every time
Exceptional patient care is a way of life for us. Our teams will be with you every step of the way, tailoring your care to your specific needs and giving you the peace-of-mind that comes with knowing you’re in the best hands. To provide exceptional care, we keep our staff-to-patient ratio low, so our nurses, clinicians, therapists, and support teams can offer a personalised, quality experience. You’ll notice the difference.
Effortlessly simple
We work together as one to guide you through every step of your patient experience. From explaining your personal treatment plan to ensuring all details are taken care of, we make the process stress-free, so you can focus on your health. Whether it’s your first consultation or follow-up care, our teams are here to provide seamless support and the peace of mind you deserve
What's included in your package?
Choosing The London Clinic means your treatment plan will be laid out for you, with all the details taken care of so you can focus on you.
Your treatment package will include:
- Enhanced pre-admission assessment
- Your treatment with our complete care team at your fingertips
- Personalised aftercare and follow-up
We want you to be in control of your health. That’s why we also offer optional services such as comprehensive recovery packages and extra touches for you to choose from during your stay with us. To help you manage the cost, we also offer a 0% finance option, allowing you to spread the payments for your treatment over 12 months with no added interest. Learn more about our finance options here.
How to pay
- You can use private medical insurance (PMI) to access this treatment. We work with all major PMI providers in the UK and many internationally
- You can pay for yourself (self-pay)
- If you’re paying for yourself, we have 0% finance options available with Chrysalis. Find out more here.